The Game is On

Hopes and Dreams

One year. One long, unbearable year of waiting. They'd found a surrogate, made all the necessary arrangements, and finally they got the call.

"Mr. Holmes, your surrogate mother has gone into labor."

John got Mrs. Hudson to watch the girls at home. It was 2:14 AM, and finding a cab would be next to impossible. Instead, they both just ran to St. Bart's. By the time they reached the hospital, they were exhausted.

"Please wait here," the nurse instructed. The first floor, used mainly for pregnancy and childbirth, was almost empty. Although, there was still the noise of crying children and screaming women in labor.

Their surrogate was in room 104, and they had to wait on the chairs outside the room, listening to the antagonizing wails that filled the air around them.

Yikes.

Minutes melted into hours, and Sherlock continued to check his watch. By now, 4:21 AM, John had fallen asleep. His head lay on the detective's shoulder.

Finally, at 4:58 AM, a nurse came out to tell them the news.

"John, wake up!" Sherlock excitedly shoved John's head and the doctor jolted awake, only to become drowsy once again.

"John!" Sherlock tried to pull him out of the chair, "Our baby's born!"

At that, John immediately woke up, standing and following Sherlock and the nurse into the room.

"It's a boy," the nurse informed.

"Good, they'll be so pleased."

Currently, the mother held the baby in bundles of blue blankets.

"Would you like to hold him?" She rasped, exhausted.

"Sure," Sherlock gently reached down and picked up baby Hamish. He was light, like a feather, and so adorable. He made small gurgling noises, moving his tiny hands ever so slightly.

John was skeptical. Not only was baby Hamish the cutest thing he'd ever seen, this was the most affectionate John had ever seen Sherlock.

"Take good care of him," the mother requested, but not in a begging tone. She knew they would.

"Of course we will," Sherlock cooed, half to her and half to the baby.

John rolled his eyes, "Ugh, Sherlock, you're acting all sweet. Way out of character. Give him to me."

Reluctantly, Sherlock bent down to let John carefully take hold of Hamish.

"Awww," John whispered, "Hi there!"

The doctor raised a hand to lightly tickle the baby's cheek. So soft and plush, like a stuffed animal.

Baby Hamish wriggled in John's arms, squeezing his eyes shut, before opening them. A brilliant ocean blue, just like John's.

"He...Opened his eyes! So early," John felt proud, Hamish was already special.

"We'll need to keep him here. Can you pick him up tomorrow at 5 PM?"

"Yes, no problem," John carefully let baby Hamish fall into the nurse's hands. He looked at his fathers sadly, beginning to screw up his face and cry.

"Oh, dear," Sherlock held the bridge of his nose.

"Shh, Hamish, don't worry," John cooed, "We'll be back!"

With that, John and Sherlock signed a paper and went to leave.

"Just a moment," a doctor called, bringing the paper back to them, "Please fill in the baby's full name."

John scrawled "Hamish Scott Holmes" onto the paper, and was free to go.

When they got home, it was close to 5:30 AM. Without even changing into pajamas, the two of them flopped into bed and slept almost instantly.

At 10:37 AM on December 1st, the next morning, the two girls came skipping into their dads' bedroom and leaped on top of them.

"Daddy John!"

"Daddy Sherlock!"

"Oof," John muttered, turning drowsily to find Gina clinging to him.

"What's the news? How's the baby?" She rambled on.

"It's a boy, just as you hoped," Sherlock smiled, remembering the absolutely adorable look on baby Hamish's face.

"Named Hamish, right?" Gina asked.

"Of course. Hamish Scott Holmes."

Gina and Amanda rolled off, skipping out. The sound of cereal being tipped into ceramic bowls could be heard from the kitchen moments later.

"Gina's already 10," John stated, remembering Gina's happy October birthday, "And Amanda will be 10 in 3 days."

Over the past year, they had almost entirely fixed up 221C. All that was left was to repaint the walls, redo the flooring, and furnish the place. Then, it might even be nicer than 221B!

"Yeah, we planned her birthday. Her friends from school will be there, as well as Gina, Molly, us, Mrs. Hudson, Mycroft..."

"Lestrade. I know. I'm just saying," John finished.

"Okay, well, let's go. Can't let them burn the house down or something."

John left the room, letting Sherlock take a shower first. As he headed in, he found the girls on the couch, singing along to the music of their favourite show.

"It's a Doctor Who marathon today, daddy John!" Amanda declared.

"Haven't you already seen every episode?"

"Yeah, so?"

John rolled his eyes. He still didn't get why they liked the show so much. Granted, though, he didn't exactly watch it. What does he know.

"Okay, John, I'll make us toast. Go have your shower," Sherlock poked his head in the room, his hair dripping wet.

"Christ, dry your hair, will you?" John asked as he passed by.

Sherlock went and changed into his usual attire, properly drying off his hair. Then he went back into the kitchen to make buttered toast for him and John.

The doctor sauntered back into the room with his "hedgehog hair" and took his toast from Sherlock, "Thanks."

"I'll be downstairs, working on some experiments."

The detective headed down to 221C and began to examine something under a microscope.

John came down the stairs and into the basement flat, "It's almost 5. We should get going to pick up baby Hamish."

It was that time already? Time had just flown by so fast Sherlock didn't even notice. But it was finally time to see his child and take him home.

Amanda and Gina couldn't wait to see the new baby Hamish. They'd helped pick out a new crib for him, which had been put in John and Sherlock's room.

They hailed a cab and went to St. Bart's. They filled out all the necessary papers and were taken to see the baby Hamish, who they were informed had no health problems.

He was perfect.

There was evidence of hair on his head, and it was dark. He would have ebony hair, just like Sherlock.

He gurgled happily when he saw John and Sherlock approach. A nurse carefully helped him into Sherlock's hands, and again the affection fell over the detective. Hamish almost instantly fell asleep, warmed by his new dad's body.

"He's so cute," Gina whispered, so to not wake him.

"And so small," Amanda added.

John brought the baby carrier they'd bought a week earlier and Sherlock gently placed Hamish in it. The baby curled up, as the carrier must have been more comfortable than Sherlock's bony arms.

"Don't swing it too much John," Sherlock advised as John picked up the carrier, "It'll wake him up."

"Don't get your nickers in a knot, Sherlock, I'll be careful."

And with that, Sherlock, John, Gina, Amanda and new baby Hamish made their way back home to Baker Street.